Edna Cooper, Fair Oaks, CA

“EVERYTHING is different when you improve your hearing.”

How and when did you first realize you were experiencing hearing loss?

I didn’t realize that I had been reading lips for many years until a doctor in our family noticed that I could only “hear” him when I was looking at his face. I probably needed to get hearing aids at age 35 or 40. I waited until I was 49. Too bad I missed so much of my children’s early lives.

Where did you first go for information or help? Why?

I shopped around and found astonishing differences in prices. I went to Kaiser in the end. I knew they were reliable and gave incredible support.

Based on your experience,
do you have suggestions for others on how and where to start? Any other
important things for them to consider?

DO NOT get your hearing aids on line. You need lots of support and technical adjustments when you first wear hearing aids. Check into any hearing aid business for Better Business Bureau abuses. Pick a provider who has been in business a long time and won’t disappear. Finally, if you think people will notice you are wearing hearing aids, think about how noticeable your constant “HUH?” is.

What was your biggest concern about hearing aids? Did that turn out to
be true?

Hardly anyone ever notices that I wear hearing aids. What a surprise!

How have hearing aids
changed your life? How do they help you at your job, in your hobbies or at
volunteer activities?

EVERYTHING is different when you improve your hearing. I became less cranky when I could hear more. I could hear everyone’s comments in parent meetings.

You are not going to hear like everyone else, though and you need to be very clear with your family that they have a responsibility to speak clearly and look at you when they need your attention. It’s very helpful for people to lightly touch you when they are about to speak so that you know where to put your listening attention.